Norway to provide more air defense systems to Ukraine

PARIS — Norway will donate more National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, better known as NASAMS, to Ukraine, this time with a value of 335 million kroner (U.S. $31 million), the government said in a statement Wednesday.

Air defense is vital to Ukraine, and the country is asking for more systems to fend off Russian attacks, according to Norwegian Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram. Due to the urgent need for more systems, Norway will supply equipment from its own reserves.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced the additional support at a meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo, also promising 1 billion kronor in co-financing for a European effort to boost production of artillery shells and missiles for Ukraine.

“Ukraine is entering the third winter since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbouring country,” Støre said in a statement . “When it comes to military support, Norway will now be providing more air defence equipment to protect Ukrainian cities against the Russian attacks.”

The Norwegian government will donate eight more NASAMS launch systems and four more fire-direction units, which it says is the same number of systems as donated previously. The equipment can be sent “within a relatively short time” and will be crucial to strengthen Ukrainian air defense against Russian attacks this winter, Norway said.

NASAMS is a short- to medium-range system developed by Kongsberg and Raytheon. Norway in March said it would provide two firing units in cooperation with the U.S., in addition to two systems supplied by the U.S. in 2022.

The government said the systems from its own reserves can be donated without lowering Norway’s ability to defend itself.

Norway will provide more funds for the country’s industry to boost output of artillery ammunition and missiles, the government said in a separate statement Wednesday. That could allow the Norwegian defense industry to expand production capacity of shells, rocket engines, missiles and explosives by “several billion” kroner.

The country is boosting industry support to 950 million kroner from 500 million kroner, with project applications from Nammo Raufoss, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Chemring Nobel, the government said. Norway will also provide 190 million kroner to the European Union program to boost munition production capabilities.

Rudy Ruitenberg is a Europe correspondent for Defense News. He started his career at Bloomberg News and has experience reporting on technology, commodity markets and politics.

巴黎——挪威政府周三在一份声明中表示，挪威将向乌克兰捐赠更多国家先进地对空导弹系统（NASAMS），此次捐赠价值 3.35 亿挪威克朗（3100 万美元）。

挪威国防大臣比约恩·阿里尔德·格拉姆表示，防空对乌克兰至关重要，该国正在寻求更多防空系统以抵御俄罗斯的袭击。由于急需更多系统，挪威将从其自身储备中提供装备。

挪威首相约纳斯·加尔·斯特勒在奥斯陆与乌克兰总统弗拉基米尔·泽连斯基会晤时宣布了这项额外支持，并承诺提供 10 亿克朗的共同资金，用于欧洲一项旨在提高乌克兰炮弹和导弹产量的计划。

“自俄罗斯全面入侵乌克兰以来，乌克兰已经进入了第三个冬季，”斯托雷在一份声明中说。“在军事支持方面，挪威将提供更多防空设备，以保护乌克兰城市免受俄罗斯的袭击。”

挪威政府将再捐赠八套NASAMS发射系统和四套火力指挥装置，与此前捐赠的系统数量相同。挪威方面表示，这些设备可以在“相对较短的时间内”交付，对于加强乌克兰的防空能力，抵御今年冬季俄罗斯的袭击至关重要。

NASAMS是由康斯伯格公司和雷神公司联合研发的中短程导弹系统。挪威在3月份表示，除了美国在2022年提供的两套系统外，挪威还将与美国合作提供两套发射装置。

政府表示，捐赠其自身储备中的系统不会降低挪威的自卫能力。

挪威政府周三在一份单独声明中表示，将向该国工业提供更多资金，以提高炮弹和导弹的产量。此举或将使挪威国防工业的炮弹、火箭发动机、导弹和炸药产能扩大“数十亿”克朗。

挪威政府表示，该国将把对相关行业的支持力度从5亿挪威克朗提高到9.5亿挪威克朗，目前已收到来自Nammo Raufoss、Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace和Chemring Nobel等公司的项目申请。此外，挪威还将向欧盟的弹药生产能力提升计划提供1.9亿挪威克朗的资金。

鲁迪·鲁伊滕贝格是《防务新闻》的欧洲记者。他的职业生涯始于彭博新闻社，拥有报道科技、大宗商品市场和政治方面的经验。